In January Hollywood has its Golden Globes – but Longwood has its Annual Orchid Extravaganza! Don't miss the sights and scents of 4,500+ orchids lavishly featured throughout their warm Conservatory, Peirce-du Pont House, and Welcome Center.

Prepare to be wowed by:

A towering 12-foot-tall archway of pink Phalaenopsis orchids

Giant orbs of orchids suspended from the ceiling

A spectacular curtain of purple and white orchids

And - new this year - orchid wrapped columns in the Exhibition Hall

The Orchid is more than just a pretty face – it's almost human!It has quite a family tree...There are 25,000+ species of orchid and scientists are finding more every day. Plus horticulturalists are breeding orchids with other plants to create more offspring that are as unique and beautiful as the original."Here's Lookin' at you, kid!"According to an article on LiveScience.com, an orchid has bilateral symmetry — like a human face — so if a line is drawn vertically down the middle of the flower, the two halves are mirror images of each other. Now I'm a little nervous - I think my office orchid is watching me...!?!

Orchids are shameless ;)Orchids deceive insects into pollinating them with reproductive parts that are shaped and colored to look like the kind of insect they hope to attract. Once the insect is interested, the orchid's pollen sticks to the bug until it flies off to find another orchid that it mistakes for a mate.

As humans, we grow them, we wear them ... and yes, if you ate cake and cookies over Christmas, you ate them!That's because Vanilla, a species of orchid, is one of the most popular ingredients in the world of perfumery - and the "flat leafed" vanilla plant is used in everything from ice cream to the far-too-many yummy Christmas goodies I ate last month!Exhibit runs January 20th to March 25th.

Click here for more information on the Orchid ExtravaganzaOn January 15th Bring the family to OrKID Day!Young and old alike will love touring and exploring the discovery stations, interactive story readings, and a family seek-and-find in their Orchid-filled Conservatory. Hours: 11am to 2pm